NEWS
Trillion-dollar company head recalls saviour principal
In a rare case of rags to riches story, an Assamese entrepreneur heading a trillion-dollar company in the U.S. recalled his principal’s intervention in retaining him in school.
The man in the case is Siddhartha Chowdhary, the founder of Credence, a consulting organization based in Washington DC. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur (1988-92 Batch) he was two terms president of PAN IIT activities for over 5,000 members in the U.S.
Siddhartha affectionately called as Sid was introduced as an unmatched achiever from northeast India at a felicitation held at Press Club Dispur in his home city Guwahati, on December 22.
Introducing him was his former principal at Don Bosco School Guwahati Father V. M. Thomas who said, “Sid graduated from Don Bosco, Guwahati in 1986 and is one of the most successful past pupils I have ever met.”
Sid did not hesitate to acknowledge the role Father Thomas played to help his education, when his father died and his mother could not afford to pay his school fees and came to take Transfer Certificate to put him in a government school.
School fees then were rupees 45 per month which Father Thomas slashed to rupees 15 per month allowing Sid to pursue his Don Bosco education.
Speaking at Press Conference Father Thomas said, “Sid’s case proves that hard work and intervention of providence makes miracles happen.”
Earlier President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu at IIT Kharagpur presented Sid “Distinguished Alumni Award 2023” for his creative and innovative work as the Founder of CREDENCE, a Consulting Company of about 4000 employees, based at Washington D.C. in 69th Convocation Ceremony of the Institute held on December 18.
Credence, a leading engineering, healthcare, and international development firm, is the largest privately held company serving the US Government. Credence provides innovative engineering solutions to support US Defense systems and military fighter planes, trains air force pilots; secures national security IT systems from cyber-attacks; provides technology solutions using DevSecOps, Cloud Technology, Virtual Reality, and Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning.